civil union partners
Civil union partners are couples in a marriage-like legal relationship. When a couple is in a civil union, they can receive inheritance rights, employment benefits, property rights, parental rights, among other benefits.
The exact level of rights, benefits, obligations, and responsibilities of civil union partners varies by jurisdiction. For example, some states allow civil union partners to adopt children, some only allow adoption under certain circumstances, while others forbid them from adopting altogether. Civil union relationships were more common when same-sex marriage was illegal in the United States. In 2015, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644, that same-sex marriage was legal in the United States; therefore, each state must recognize a same-sex marriages performed in other states. Considering this U.S. Supreme Court decision, civil unions may become less common.
[Last reviewed in April of 2026 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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